For additional information about the Silver Gavel Awards, please contact:

About the Silver Gavel Awards

The American Bar Association annually presents the Silver Gavel Awards to recognize work in media and the arts published or presented during the preceding year that have been exemplary in helping to foster the American public’s understanding of law and the legal system. Eligible categories are:

Books

Magazines

Newspapers

Commentary

Drama & Literature

Documentaries

Television

Radio, and

Other Media.

Selection criteria include: how the entry addresses the Gavel Awards’ purpose and objectives; educational value of legal information; impact on, or outreach to, the public; thoroughness and accuracy in presentation of issues; creativity and originality in approach to subject matter and effectiveness of presentation; and demonstrated technical skill in the entry’s production.

The ABA has presented these awards annually since 1958. The 18-member ABA Standing Committee on Gavel Awards makes final award decisions. ABA President William Hubbard will present the 2015 awards on July 21 in Washington, D.C.

ARCHIVES: The Tarlton Law Library, Jamail Center for Legal Research at the University of Texas School of Law houses the permanent Gavel Awards archives for the ABA. The archive also maintains a keyword searchable online archive of Gavel Award winners dating back to 1987.